Some Seattle liquor stores to close Thursday

State closes 14 stores overall this week

By CASEY MCNERTHNEY, SEATTLEPI.COM STAFF

Published 8:37 pm, Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Photo: Casey McNerthney/seattlepi.com

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Pinnacle’s vodka flavors have been especially popular in Seattle, and recently the cake flavor debuted here. The whipped cream flavor (not the whipped cream and cherry pictured here) sells for $15.95 a fifth and last fall became the most popular flavored vodka statewide, moving nearly 3,000 cases a month.

Pinnacle’s vodka flavors have been especially popular in Seattle, and recently the cake flavor debuted here. The whipped cream flavor (not the whipped cream and cherry pictured here) sells for $15.95 a fifth

Pinnacle Vodka, imported from France, has jumped up the list of best-selling Seattle liquors. It didn’t make the top 10 list last year, but through September of 2011 had already has sold more than 5,855 cases, putting making it the second bestseller. The company’s flavored vodkas have also had exceptional sales numbers recently.

Pinnacle Vodka, imported from France, has jumped up the list of best-selling Seattle liquors. It didn’t make the top 10 list last year, but through September of 2011 had already has sold more than 5,855

Bottles of vodka are shown on Aug. 30, 2011 at West Seattle's new Washington State Liquor Control Board Premier Liquor Store. The new store features a spirits tasting bar where scheduled tastings are held, an upscale environment, and more Washington produced products. But it not be state-run after June 1.

Bottles of vodka are shown on Aug. 30, 2011 at West Seattle's new Washington State Liquor Control Board Premier Liquor Store. The new store features a spirits tasting bar where scheduled tastings are held, an

Bottles of Kentucky Bourbon are shown Aug. 30, 2011 at a state liquor store in West Seattle.

Bottles of Kentucky Bourbon are shown Aug. 30, 2011 at a state liquor store in West Seattle.

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO

Some Seattle liquor stores to close Thursday

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If you're planning to make margaritas this weekend, plan ahead before making a run to the liquor store.

The state is closing 14 liquor stores Thursday, including four in Seattle, because of depleted staff. Private retailers can begin selling liquor June 1 after the passage of Initiative 1183 last fall, and the state has been using temporary workers since December to fill employee vacancies.

But liquor prices won't be discounted at the stores that are closing Thursday.

Last week, the state auctioned the rights to soon-to-be privatized stores for $30.75 million.

The liquor left at the stores that close April 26 will be prepped for inventory and bidders from the auction will have the opportunity to purchase that stock at a discounted price Liquor Control Board spokesman Mikhail Carpenter said.

The state auctioned the rights to apply for a retail spirits license at 167 stores statewide. There were 121 winners, which the state Liquor Control Board announced after the online auction closed Friday.

The highest successful bid in Seattle was $500,100 for a store at 12th Avenue and East Pine on Capitol Hill. That wasn't the highest bid statewide, which was $750,000 for a Tacoma store.

The 14 stores closing Thursday were selected because closing those locations would minimize service area disruptions, State Liquor Retail Director Chris Liu said. The roughly 60 employees still working at those 14 stores will fill in gaps at other state liquor stores until June.

"The decision came down to how best to re-appropriate staff while at the same time maintaining uninterrupted service to all areas," Liu said in a statement. "We we feel this action best meets that goal."